I moved from the UK to the US more than 10 years ago — here are 14 things I still miss

I lived in Atlanta for a year in 2009, and after returning to the UK for about 15 months, I moved to New York in 2011, and I've lived here ever since. Coming from the UK — where the language is the same, and music, movies, and TV are steeped in American culture — I hadn't anticipated just how different life in the US was going to be.

Now after more than 10 years living in the US, I'm still acutely aware of the many differences, and while I love my life here, there are things about the UK that I miss.

British people have long been derided for their cuisine but, to me, there's nothing more comforting than Yorkshire puddings, butter-slathered crumpets, and strong cups of tea.

Because I grew up with them, British snacks are more nostalgic (and delicious) than those on offer in the US. While the US has Lay's chips, the UK has Walkers, with unexpected flavors like prawn cocktail and pickled onion. Chocolate, like Cadbury's, is creamier than the kind you can buy here.

And while there are some delicious cuisines I didn't have much access to before moving to the US, such as Mexican food, I miss other cuisines that seemed so much more commonplace there, such as British Indian food.

There's nothing like taking a muddy country walk to a pub, where you'll order a pint of bitter and a packet of crisps to share over a sticky table with friends, family, or other locals. It's the best place to hunker down in the winter because there's always a fire crackling in the corner, and summertime means pub gardens and chips in the sunshine.

While New York has an incredible diversity of bars, I don't think any come close to having the cozy ambience or sense of community found in a pub. It's often the first place I head after landing back in the UK.

If you're British, you can forget using great, emotive words like "chuffed," "knackered," or "wonky" if you want to be understood in America. 

If I used British words here, I'd be forever repeating or explaining myself. It means I've slowly adopted American words and intonation instead. These days I say "sidewalk" instead of "the pavement," and "zucchini" instead of "courgette."

My accent also means Americans sometimes struggle to understand what I'm saying. For example, "water" is a word that sounds totally different in my English accent. I always get flustered and frustrated when I'm trying to order a glass of water in a restaurant and have to repeat myself again and again to be understood.

Sometimes it gets to the point that I ask my husband to call places on my behalf just because I can't take repeating myself again.

Americans can be more forthright. They talk about their feelings and discuss subjects that would be off-limits in the UK, such as money ... and their feelings.

While I'd argue there's nothing wrong with this, sometimes I also miss the shared, unspoken understanding that British people have when it comes to communication — that is, that you're supposed to apologize all the time, regularly mention the weather, avoid talking about money at all costs, and maintain a stiff upper lip. I'm English through and through, so it's been a bumpy ride getting used to the American way of communicating. Plus, now when I go back to the UK, I worry I've become far too crass.

Of course there are plenty of funny people in the US, but the type of humor is different. When I first moved to Atlanta, I learned very quickly that sarcasm is not in everyone's language, and I regularly had to add "just kidding!" after seeing the horror on people's faces.

It's the comedy on offer, too. There's just no equivalent to the British comedy panel shows, like "8 Out of 10 Cats" or "Have I Got News for You." These TV shows are quick-witted and cutting, hosted by comedians I've watched since I was young.

When I meet British people in the US, our shared sense of humor is something I notice right away.

It took me moving to the US to realize just how old things are in the UK. (The oldest recorded town in the UK, Colchester, dates back to at least 77 AD.) The historic buildings, higgledy-piggledy streets, cobblestoned roads, and thatched roofs create a sense of charm and authenticity.

Of course, Native American populations have lived in what is now the US for thousands of years, and I've visited many beautiful, historic towns and sights across the US. However, to me, the UK's quaint towns, centuries-old architecture, and the stories behind them just can't be beat.

Marks & Spencer is a British department store found in every town and city that sells clothing, food, and home goods, and everyone in the UK buys their underwear there. Its supermarket section — M&S Food — has fresh produce and flowers, as well as high-quality pre-packaged meals, and it's the best place to grab lunch if you're on the go. It also sells a raspberry-flavored jelly candy called "Percy Pigs" and the whole country gets mad if there's even the smallest tweak to the recipe.

This might sound like a dull one, but if you're like me and think about food 90% of the time, then it's possible you'll understand just how much joy a supermarket visit can bring. Even after 10 years, I can't get my head around how US supermarkets do things, from how they're organized to the still-alien products on the shelves. Plus, whereas supermarkets in the UK have aisles of wine and spirits, there's often only beer to be found here.

Every week when I lived in London, I used to go to my local newsagents and buy a copy of every Sunday newspaper across the media spectrum, from The Observer to The Sunday Telegraph to the (now-defunct) News of the World. I'd devour them over jam on toast and cups of tea: I loved the long reads and investigations that appealed to different demographics, and the style and comment supplements would keep me busy for the week to come.

Obviously the US has its equivalents, such as the Sunday edition of the New York Times, but again, for me it's a nostalgia thing and — perhaps because I work in media — a respect and appreciation for the history and craft of Fleet Street.

After watching the news in the US for a decade, I'm always surprised, and charmed, by how quiet British newsreaders are. There's no big hair or makeup, and — while shouting matches do happen — they feel rare compared to what sometimes happens on TV in the US.

Here, we usually know where TV networks fall on the political spectrum, but British broadcasters don't align themselves in the same way: The government-approved Office of Communications acts as a watchdog over broadcasters to ensure they're staying accurate, objective, and impartial.

While GB News has recently brought more of a US style to British news with its opinion-led broadcasts, traditionally, British broadcast media makes for more straightforward, calmer newstelling where different sides of the argument are given screen time.

Relatives and friends always comment on American commercials when they come to visit — how they're shocked to see pharmaceutical drugs advertised with a long list of terms, conditions, and side effects read off at the end.

By comparison, the UK produces quirky, comical commercials in which the hard-sell is a little bit gentler. They even have the power to bring the country together: Every holiday season, the release of companies' big-budget Christmas adverts, like those by department store John Lewis (pictured), is a huge event anticipated by the whole country.

Despite the excellent level of care I have received and the kindness I have experienced from medical staff during my time in the US, I remain bitter that — on top of paying monthly for health insurance — I have to cough up a co-pay every time I visit the doctor or dentist.

In the UK, my doctor appointments and treatments never cost a penny, so I went far more often. The free-for-all system means that sometimes you have to wait for an appointment, but you will get one, rather than not being seen at all. You also won't end up with a bill that you simply can't afford — one ER visit last year cost me almost $1,000.

For all the criticisms that British people love to throw at the NHS, I now realize how much I took it for granted when I lived there.

I am extremely fortunate to have been able to move to the US and to have stayed here for as long as I have. But many people, both Americans and Brits included, are surprised when I tell them I still can't vote in the US. Immigration processes can be slow, as well as expensive, and I was married for four years before I had a green card. I'm still years away from citizenship, if that's something I choose.

As many immigrants will understand, there's something unfulfilling about economically contributing to a society in which you have no say.

I've met some incredible people during my time in the US, but I definitely miss being around people who've known me longer than 10 years. Social media and WhatsApp make it relatively easy to stay in touch, but unfortunately these apps can't replace weddings, holidays, or my mum's cooking.